Statement of Communist Party of Turkey

Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey, has been sentenced to 11 months and 20 days of imprisonment on the grounds that he libeled President Erdoğan in an article published on July 28, 2015. The fact that Kemal Okuyan will not serve time provided that he pays a pecuniary fine determined by the court, does not make any difference. The oppressive regime in Turkey wants to punish and silence our comrade, like thousands of others in Turkey, because of his political activities.

The number of the TKP CC members who received prison sentences, including the last one, due to their political writings has increased to four. There are other ongoing lawsuits against Secretary General Kemal Okuyan, and the government uses these proceedings as an instrument to blackmail our comrade to which it may resort whenever it wishes.

It would not be right to overplay the sentence imposed on Okuyan while scores of people are in prison in Turkey, which has been transformed systematically into a giant penitentiary. The TKP and the leadership of the party have been carrying on their political activities steadfastly and self-confidently. Undoubtedly, the TKP is a party which has the necessary strength and experience to take effective political, organizational and legal steps in case this “judicial” terror prevails. The TKP will never be inured to a situation in which its leaders and members are punished.

We wish to thank all parties which expressed their solidarity on short notice, and we would like to state that there is no need for taking further action apart from addressing the issue in the publications of fraternal parties.